If you want to avoid the big organisations and help the battlers more locally on the ground, here’s an incomplete list. The firefighters are vital and working hard, and some local stations are set up to take donations directly. But if you want a more animal-focused bent (because that’s what I do)…
Mallacoota Wildlife Shelter (koalas and wildlife in the thick of the East Gippsland fires in Victoria right now, bank details on the Jan 2nd post)
Wires.org.au Wildlife rescue
Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, in NSW.
Adelaide Koala and Wildlife Hospital, in South Australia (coping it hard since Xmas day)
Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, in SE Queensland.
Ipswich Koala Protection Society, in Queensland.
Koalas in Care (NSW, takes paypal)
Vets Beyond Borders is a large organization which will accept donations, and also coordinated AVERT - the Australian Veterinary Emergency Response Team. Vets, vet nurses and vet techs can register as volunteers there.
And there are other organizations that can be helped in other ways.
Medical Pantry, a collective which gathers unused or surplus medical supplies for redistribution. They will be helping supply what they can.
If you have space in your home, Airbnb Open Homes lets you register your home for displaced people or relief workers to offer them accommodation.
There are fodder drops being organized for livestock in affected areas but…well, some of these areas are not accessible yet and nobody’s quire sure what’s alive down there. But there will be a need for fodder and agistment paddocks for horses and livestock.
Some shelters or vet hospitals will also need things like feed/waterbowls and dog crates to house wildlife. A local organisation might have a pickup point near you, or some clinics will have staff registered to go as volunteers when asked.
In addition, some local knitters/sewers/crafters guild will be turning old cotton and flannelette material into pouches and wraps for injured wildlife. If you’ve got a local group, see what they’re doing and what you can donate out of the cupboards. I know Wonderground in South East Melbourne has a sewing day this Sunday (5thof Jan) and they are local to me, but see which groups are local to you.
This is the most up-to-date list of crafted products required that I have at the moment.
(From Animal Rescue freecycle)
dailybridgerton
blakekathryn
gracieabrams
theartofmadeline
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